Ball-caster



(No Model.)

W. H. LOCKERBY. BALL OASTER No. 555,175. Patented Feb. 25, 1896.

'AllllACE ll. LOCKERBY, OF VAVERLY, NEW YORK.

BALL-CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,1? 5, dated February 25, 1896.

Application filed March 14:, 1895, Serial No. 541,709. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that IJVALLAOE H. Locnnnnv, of lVaverly, in the county of Tioga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Casters, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has particular reference to that type of fiu-niture-casters employing a ball engaged by antifriction-rollers; and it consists in the peculiar construction thereof hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a caster of simple, cheap, and durable construction which will beveryetfective in operation and in which the parts may be most easily and quickly assembled and disconnected when desired. This object is accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the detached lower end of the leg of a piece of furniture provided with myimproved caster. Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of the caster detached. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. '1; and Fig. i is an inverted plan view of the caster, the supporting-ball being removed and the antifriction ballsbeing shown in operative position.

The body of my improved caster is made in but three parts, an upper section, A, and a lower section formed of separable divisions l3 and C. The upper section, A, comprises a plate or flange a perforated for the passage of screws by which the casteris secured to the lower extremity of the furniture-leg and a depending interiorly-threaded socketc, and

the divisions B and O of the lowersection are formed with spindle divisions b c which, when engaged with each other, form a spindle that extends into and is wholly received by said socket and has a threaded engagement therewith,whereby said parts A, B, and O are secured together. The lower part of the body is divided longitudinally to form said parts 13 and O, and the contiguous surfaces of said parts B and O are formed to provide a tongue and a groove, respectively, which engage each other, and each of which has two walls inclined with respect to each other, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. It will thus be seen that when the parts are assembled the separable divisions will have an interlocking engagement with each other,whereby lateral displacement thereof is prevented. The separable sections B and C are also formed at the base of their respective spindle divisions with horizontal shoulders b and 0 which are engaged by the lower end of socket a, and said separable sections are further formed to provide a chamberD,within which is located the supportingball E, and with recesses d, which receive the antifriction-rollers 6 projecting therefrom into engagement with said ball E. The diameter of the mouth of each recess (Z is considerably greater than that of the roller 6 partly received therein, whereby said rollers will engage the walls of their re spective recesses at one place only and will have no sidwise engagementtherewith. This is advantageous, because it reduces friction and overcomes liability of jamming of the balls within their sockets by the weight of the piece of furniture supported by the casters. The ball and rollers are held in place by bending the lower extremity of the body inward into engagement with said ball. Preferably the walls of the lower section are formed with substantially equidistant cut-outs or slots to reduce weight and economize metal.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim is- 1. A caster, consisting of a body, formed of an upper section having a flange and an interiorly-threaded socket, and a lower chambered section formed to provide a shoulder upon which said socket rests and with a threaded spindle projecting upward from said shoulder and received wholly within said socket, said lower section being divided longitudinally into separable divisions respectively formed with a tongue and recess, received the one within the other and a supporting-ball, partly within the chamber of the lower section, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described furniture-caster, consisting of a body, formed of an upper section having a flange and a depending interiorly-threaded socket, and a lower chambered section formed to provide a shoulder upon which said socket rests and with a threaded spindle projecting upward from said shoulder and received wholly within said socket, said lower section having recesses communicating with its chamber, and being divided longitudinally into separable divisions, respectively formed witha tongue and groove received one within the other; a supporting-ball projecting from the chamber in said lower section; and antifriction-rollers projecting from said recesses into engagement with said ball, said recesses and rollers being relatively of such diameters that the rollers will engage the walls of their respective rccesses at one place only and have no sidewise engagement therewith.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at YVaverly, in the county of Tioga, in the State of New York, this 22d day of February, 1895.

XVA'LLAOE H. LOCKERBY. lVitnesses:

XV. A. BEEBE, GEO. L. KEELER. 

